Wisdom lost, wisdom found
by wolfypuppypiles
Summary: Tony had been in a lot of stressful situations, and a lot of battles, but nothing had prepared him for taking care of a superpowered teenager high on pain meds. Peter gets his wisdom teeth out, and Tony learns how hard it is to be a parent. Thank god the Avengers are there to help.


Peters' eyes were stuck like glue.

"Peeeeter? Come on, buddy."

Was that Tony? He didn't realise his mouth was moving until some words fell out; although they were less like words and more like a jumbled mess of syllables.

"hmmmTonnnyyy."

Tony laughed, as did some other voices that he was sure he recognized.

"Hey, buddy. You feeling okay?"

Peter hummed a little, trying to decide. He felt very funny. "I can't find my eyes."

More laughing, making Peter smile. They sounded happy, which made him happy. Happy, happy, happy.

Tony tried to speak through his laughter, as someone nearby snickered. "They're right where you left them, Pete. Try to open them for me."

Peter laughed, giggly and tired. His eyes felt so heavy. "Tony, can you do it for me? I can't do it. It's too hard."

The other voice, Peter thought it may have been Bruce, sounded more than a little amused. "Peter, just open your eyes, you're fine. Look, I got something for you."

Peter felt as if he were spinning, and lifted a clumsy hand to flop around in front of him. His eyes opened a little, and he could see Tony and Bruce there, smiling at him.

"Heyyy! I can see you now!"

Tony patted his shoulder. "Good job. Open them all the way."

Peter did as he was told, head lolling a bit on his shoulder. Tony's hand leapt forward, tipping the kids head back on his pillows before he could break his own neck.

"Oh, thanks, Mr Iron Man. You're so nice."

Tony smiled, as he patted Peters knee, Bruce coming forward with an ice pack.

"Thanks."

Bruce gently placed the ice pack on Peters' cheek, pulling one of the teenager's hands up to hold it. "Here, that'll help. Keep biting down on the gauze."

Peters' eyes widened, as he looked at the Doctor, voice jumping up an octave. "I have gauze? Why do I have gauze?"

Bruce's voice was soft, as he tried to placate the dopey hero. "It's okay, you just had your wisdom teeth out."

Peter looked around, noticing for the first time that he was in a bed, IV on his arm, and the softest blue blanket he'd ever felt in his life over his lap.

Peter's eyes began to water. "You took my teeth out? Oh my god, I don't have any teeth."

Tony's face creased in concern but he still had that glint of amusement in his eye, as he pulled the blanket up higher, tucking the boy in. "No, just the bad ones, Pete. You still have teeth, Bruce only took a couple."

Peter held the ice pack to his face, sniffing, as he tried to understand. "I'm okay?"

Tony patted his hair back. "Yeah, you're fine. I promise. You're just a little confused because of all the pain meds."

Peter slumped back into his pillows, sighing. "Oh thank god."

Bruce nodded to Tony, silently asking him to keep the kid distracted, while he took the IV out. Tony caught the look and started talking, waiting until Peter met his gaze.

"Hey, guess whos coming to see you, today?"

Peter lost all other thought as he pulled his head back up to look at Tony. "Who? Is it you?"

Tony let out a snicker and tried to be serious. "No- I'm already here, Pete. The Avengers are coming to see you! You love them!"

Peter's eyes were huge as he gasped, completely oblivious to the fact that Bruce was taking the needle out of his arm.

"Really?! I know the Avengers? That's so cool!"

Tony patted his knee again. "Yeah, they're coming to see how you're doing. So, keep biting down on that gauze and hold that ice pack there."

Peter's eyes rolled around a little as he sighed. "Okayyyy. I can do that."

…...

Tony had been in a lot of stressful situations, and a lot of battles, but nothing had prepared him for taking care of a superpowered teenager high on pain meds.

Peter had been sleepy when he first woke, but his reaction to the medication changed as they metabolised, and soon enough he was bouncing off the walls. And given Peters powers, Tony meant that literally.

"PETER?! Where did he go?" Tony ran a hand through his hair. He was trying to keep his cool but he had just lost the teenager he was supposed to be taking care of.

Sam opened a cupboard in the kitchen, peeking inside before he scowled as Clint laughed. "Why would he be hiding in there?"

Sam slammed it shut, irritated. "I don't know! Why are we looking for him in the first place?"

He turned to Tony, expression mocking. "How could you lose Spider-Man? No, seriously, how do you do that? How do you misplace a person?!"

Tony waved him off, looking around the compound as the other Avengers helped him search. "Shut up Wilson! It wasn't my fault that he escaped. You think I can stop him? He's stronger than me, and you! You try to get him next time!"

Sam muttered something as Natasha laughed, and Steve tried to calm everyone down.

"Fighting isn't going to help Peter. Just keep looking."

Tony was getting seriously worried. Peter could be anywhere by now. He'd only been out of the room for five minutes before he came back to an empty bed.

He called out once more, heart rate climbing for each time he went unanswered.

"Peter! Where are you?"

Tony felt as if his whole body was wound tight, stress clenching every muscle. If anything happened to that boy he would never forgive himself.

He was about to call again when his pocket started buzzing, and he pulled out his phone to see who was calling.

"Shit, everyone shut up! His aunt's calling me."

Steve shuffled the others off, leaving Tony to answer the call in quiet.

"Heyyy, May. Whats up?"

She sounded happy enough. "Hi, Tony. How's Peter? Did the surgery go okay? Tell him again how sorry I am that I couldn't make it. Stupid work wouldn't let me off, you know how they are."

Tony peered around, trying to spot the little troublemaker as he spoke. "Oh, he's fine. A little doped up but Bruce got the teeth out no problem."

May began to speak before a shout came from another room.

"Tony, we found Peter! He's on the ceiling!"

Tony froze, closing his eyes in annoyance. He had hoped May hadn't heard but-

"Um, excuse me? Why is my nephew on the ceiling?"

Tony honestly didn't know what to say, and quickly made his way to where Sam had shouted from.

"Oh, well you know how teenagers are. He'll be fine, I'll take care of him. Okay, bye bye."

He hung up, barely having time to feel bad before he walked into the living room, to see Peter stuck to the ceiling. He was smiling, his curls hanging down, and waved at Tony as he came in.

"Hey, Mr Stark! Look how high I am!"

Clint snickered at his wording. "You got that right."

Tony ignored him as he felt his heart thump faster, looking up at the kid on the ceiling. It would have been a comical sight if Tony wasn't worried he would fall and die.

"What are you doing up there?"

Peter crawled across the ceiling, in his Ironman pyjamas, face slightly swollen in the cheeks, making him look adorably chipmunk-like.

"I'm on the ceiling!"

Tony sighed, rubbing a hand over his forehead. "Yeah, I can see that. Why are you up there?"

Peter crawled along further, as Steve and Bucky ran underneath him, arms out to catch him in case he fell.

"Because I'm Spider-Man! I'M SPIDER-MAAAAAN!"

Tony held back a sigh and tried to get him to listen instead. "Okay, buddy time to come down now."

The teenager laughed, stretching out a leg to gently nudge the chandelier to make it swing. "Hey, guuuyss. Look."

Tony cursed and tried not to have a panic attack as Peter hung from one hand, sticking to the ceiling with just his fingertips. "I'm in a bit of a...sticky situation."

Bucky groaned at the joke, as Tony rolled his eyes. "Peter."

His heart rate lowered a tad when Peter gripped the ceiling properly again.

"Wait, wait, I have another one. How do you organise a space party?"

Tony groaned. "Peter, stop."

But Clint sounded amused. "How?"

Tony gave the archer a look, irritated that he would encourage him, but Clint only shrugged. "What? It's funny."

Peter snorted through his own joke. "You planet!"

Sam snickered, as Steve tried to remain serious. "Peter, you need to come down now, it's dangerous up there."

Peter pouted, eyes glassy through the drugs. "But I have more jokes."

"You can tell them to us down here. Come down, buddy."

Peter thought for a moment, weighing his options before he rubbed his eyes. He was getting tired.

Tony reached a hand towards him, desperate to get Peter to safety. "You tired, underoos? You wanna go to bed? It's nice and comfy there."

Peter hummed, thinking. He smiled, voice sweet as he finally agreed. "Okay!"

And then, to Tony's absolute horror, Peter let go of the ceiling and dropped like a stone.

His heart leapt into his throat, as he called out in panic. "Peter!"

Steve was ready for it, arms outstretched and waiting, and he caught Peter easily. The teenager laughed as he was caught, and held to Caps chest.

There was a chorus of relieved sighs, and Tony almost melted to the floor with the rush of it. "Good god Peter, you almost killed me."

Peter wrapped his arms Steves neck, snuggling into him, as he blinked tiredly. "Sorry."

Tony sighed, as he walked over, shoulders sagging, and ruffled the kid's hair. "It's okay, just please don't do it again. You're going to make me grey before my time."

Peter rubbed a curled hand over his eyes and tucked his face under Steve's chin. His voice was small and child-like. "Okay."

He was more compliant in going to bed once he had tired himself out, and Tony was more than happy to have him tucked up safe and sound again.

Cap carried him back to his room, and put him to bed; Peter already half asleep. Tony sank down into the chair beside him, as Steve pulled the teenager's blankets over him.

"Go to sleep, Pete."

Peter barely replied, already curling up under his blanket, words nothing but a mumble into his pillow.

"Can you stay with me?"

Cap smiled, sharing a look with Tony, before he sat down on the edge of the bed, placing one of his big hands on Peters' hip.

"Okay, I'll stay."

Tony rested his chin in his hand, watching the two, as Peter let out a sleepy sigh. The other Avengers watched from the doorway, with varying expressions of love on their faces. No matter who you are, no one is immune to how adorable a sleepy Peter Parker is.

"I love you guys."

Tony couldn't hold back his smile as he leant forward and brushed the spiderlings hair back.

"We love you too, kid."

…...

Tony swallowed the last of his coffee, feeling the buzz of caffeine rush through him as he sighed.

Peter had been sleeping for a few hours, but it was almost time for his meds again. Tony was still by his side, as promised, as was Steve, but everyone else had gone to their own activities, allowing the youngest team member to sleep.

Tony groaned as he got out of his chair, feeling very old in that moment. Steve was reading a book but looked up as Tony went to leave.

He lifted a hand to the super soldier before he could say anything. "I'm not leaving, I'm just getting him some water for when he takes his meds."

It wouldn't seem as though it would be an issue, only leaving for a few minutes after being there for so long, but apparently, it was for Peter.

He was only gone for a few minutes, but Peters' voice was so afraid, it brought him sprinting back within seconds.

"AHHH TONY!"

He could hear Cap trying to calm him down, but it wasn't working all that well. When Tony made it to his room, he almost dropped the glass he was holding. Peter was sitting up in the bed, blood and spit dripping down his chin, as he cried.

Cap was trying to calm him down, hands fluttering around to try and keep him still.

The kid was freaking out, tears rolling down his cheeks, chest heaving as he cried. His hair was mussed from sleep, and Tony could see the haze of drugs through the glassiness of his eyes.

"What?"

Peter let out a sob, clearly delirious as he pointed to a bloody lump of gauze on his lap. "I'm bleeding and my tongue fell out!"

Steve tried pressing him back to his pillows, the back of his bed raised to make it easier, but the kid was so panicked he wouldn't listen.

Steve gave an apologetic frown to Tony. "He woke up and just spat it out. Sorry, I tried to handle it."

Tony shook his head. "It's fine. Can you get Bruce, though?"

The super soldier nodded, and ran off, leaving Tony to deal with the grieving teenager.

"Oh my god, look at it! It's gone!" He dissolved into sobs again, and Tony quickly pulled a tissue from the stand and used it to clean up the blood on Peters' chin. He sat on the edge of the bed, his voice calm and soft.

"No, you didn't lose it, Peter. That's not your tongue, it's gauze. You should have left it in."

Peter shook his head. "How would you know what it is? You're not a doctor. I want Bruce to fix it!"

Tony laughed a little, using the tissue to pick up the ruined gauze and throw it in the bin before he shuffled closer to the boy and wrapped his arm around his shoulders.

"Okay, Bruce can fix it. Just calm down, he's coming, Pete. I'm here, you're okay."

Peter tipped sideways, into Tony's chest, and hiccuped adorably. "I don't want to lose my tongue."

Tony hugged him close with one arm, trying not to laugh. "Oh Spider-Baby, you won't. Bruce is going to make it all better. He's the best right?"

Peter sniffed, nodding. "Yeah, he's the best ever, and you're the best ever and so is Steve and-"

Tony couldn't help but ruffle his hair, as Peter proceeded to list practically everyone he knew. "-and that kid that always sits behind me on the bus. I don't know his name but he let me borrow a pencil once and he's so nice. I just love everyone so much."

Tony nodded, rubbing the boy's shoulder where he held it. "I know you do, Peter."

Peter was working himself up again, as he cried harder, rubbing a hand over his eyes. "I don't want you to go to space again! I saw it on the news when you did it and you fell and you almost died. I don't want you to go, Tony."

Peter pulled is drug-clumsy arms up, wrapping them around Tony's chest as he curled to him. Tony sighed, rubbing his back. He didn't want to go up into space either, he hated it up there.

"I'm not leaving, Buddy. And I promise I'll do everything I can to never go to space again. We have to stick close to the ground, huh?"

Peter nodded, face pressed to his shoulder, as Bruce and Steve walked back in. The former was already snapping some gloves on, smiling kindly at his patient.

"What happened here? Cap told me you had a bit of a mishap with your gauze."

Peter peeked out from his hug with Tony, nodding as his breath jumped around from the force of his tears.

Bruce pulled a rolling stool forward and sat down on it, sliding over to the bed. "Can I take a look?"

Peter nodded again, wiping his cheek on the back of his hand, and sat up, with the help of Tony's palm on his back.

Bruce was gentle as always, peering into Peter's mouth with a penlight. He hummed in interest, before taking the light away, and instead wheeling over to the bench to grab supplies.

"I'll replace the gauze, but this time I really need you to just lie still and keep biting down on it, okay? We need it to clot and once it does, we don't want to disturb it and slow the healing."

Peter obediently opened his mouth, as Bruce replaced it, squeezing his eyes shut at the pressure in his sensitive mouth. A tear rolled down his cheek as he closed his eyes, and Tony gently brushed it away with a curled finger.

Bruce lightly tapped under Peters' chin, encouraging him to bite down on the gauze, before smiling encouragingly.

"I know you don't feel all that good right now, but you'll start to feel better soon. How about for now, while you keep biting on that, we watch a movie together?"

Peter nodded, eyes huge and puppy-like, as he gathered up his blanket in his arms and swung his legs over the bed, trying to get up. He didn't get very far, legs wobbly and head spinning, with all three men in the room reaching for him.

Steve got there first. "No, no, no. Don't move around too much, Pete. Where are you going?"

Peter pointed out the door, which Steve could only assume meant he wanted to have the movie in the living room with everyone. It was very hard to deny the kid when he was looking at him with such big eyes.

Steve gave in with very little resistance. "Okay, but no walking around just yet."

Peter didn't mind at all and simply lifted his arms, reaching for the first avenger. He obliged, scooping the kid up into his arms, and smiling when he tucked his head to his shoulder once more.

Tony followed behind, as they made their way to the living room, calling out to his AI as he went.

"Friday, let everyone know we'll be waiting for them with a movie. And dim the lights to Spider-Man settings please."

Peter made a small, pleased, grunt as the lights lowered; no longer a stabbing pain in his eyes, but a soft, warm glow.

The other Avengers came as requested, gathering in the living room and taking up seats on the many couches there.

Steve was settling Peter on the couch, and although he had no intention of leaving, the teenager tugged on his arm anyway, making sure he sat down with him. His arm came around the kid's shoulders, as Peter hugged his bundle of blanket, still obediently biting down on the gauze in his mouth.

Tony went to sit on Peters other side, as Friday got a movie started. "Scoot over, will you?"

Peter's eyes warmed with a small smile, feeling better with all his heroes in one room. He snuggled down into the couch, as Tony settled down beside him.

The movie was one of Peters favourites, of course, one of the Star Wars ones, but unfortunately, he didn't get to enjoy it as much as he usually did.

As the film went on, the pain in his mouth got worse. First, it was something dull and uncomfortable, largely numbed by the pain meds. But it was getting worse.

Peter tried to concentrate on the movie, he tried to focus on the characters that he loved so much, but it was getting hard to ignore the pain.

Tony could feel the kid begin to stiffen, muscles clenching as he tried to control the agony radiating through his head. But it was too much, and he was left trying to hide his whimpers.

Of course, it didn't escape Tony and Steve's notice or even Bucky's who was sitting next to the first Avenger on another couch.

Tony sat forward, concerned, and tried to see the kids face in the dark. "Peter? Are you okay?"

His control slipped, as he shook his head, and he let out a sob. It hurt so bad, he couldn't concentrate on anything else.

Tony quickly called out, trying not to panic. "Friday, lights on."

Tony didn't know what he was expecting, but it hadn't been Peter, clutching his blanket so hard it was threatening to tear, tears rolling down his cheeks. His whole body was locked up, tense and shaking. And that had been before he opened his mouth.

Peter had tried so hard to keep it under control, but the pain was too much, it was agony. He let out a sob, opening his mouth...and blood poured out.

Steve jumped back, with a soft curse, as Tony stood from the couch. Poor Peter just closed his eyes and cried, as blood dripped down his chin and onto his blanket.

Bucky recovered first, grabbing the teenager and holding him with a surprisingly soft grip, as he ran back to the med bay. His voice was calm, if not a little rushed. "It's okay. You'll be okay. Hold on to me, Peter."

The teenager could do nothing but cry, and he only got louder as the pain grew. Tony didn't know what was wrong, or what to do, and simply followed, as the others did.

Bruce got his gloves on, pointing to the bed as he ran around the room, grabbing things.

"Put him there and hold his , you're going to be okay. I know it hurts but I'm going to fix it."

Bucky placed the kid down, as Peter continued to wail, and offered him his metal hand to hold.

He was lucky T'Challa and Shuri had given him a better arm because Peters grip was so strong he surely would have crushed anything else. In fact, his other hand went to grip the rail on the side of the bed and crushed it within seconds. Tony flinched as the metal crumpled under the teenager's hand.

Bruce turned to look, pausing for a second to watch. Peter usually had great control over his strength, because he knew how dangerous it was. But he was in too much pain to even notice what he'd done.

Bucky winced slightly at the grip on his metal hand but shook his head at Steve's concerned glance. "It's okay, I'm okay. But you gotta get this kid some pain meds, right now."

Bruce came back to the bed with a metal kidney dish, handing it to Bucky to hold under Peters' chin to catch the blood still pouring from his lips.

"I'll do what I can, but I have to make sure this is what I think it is, first."

Peter was still sitting up in the bed, hands crushing the bed rail, and Bucky's hand, but opened his mouth as much as he could when Bruce asked him to.

Bruce peered inside for just a moment, before cursing and lowering the head of the bed a bit.

"It's a dry socket. The blood clot moved, it sometimes happens, but it's excruciatingly painful. Probably more so for Peter, since he feels everything so intensely. I need to clean and dress it."

Tony wanted to help, and he would have done anything to make the pain and fear lessen, but there just wasn't much he could do.

Bruce grabbed the things he needed and got to work, and Tony watched as he worked, his heart in his throat.

Peter whimpered, trying to stay still, but his chest heaved and his hands shook. He was terrified, and in pain, and Tony couldn't just do nothing. He stood at the end of the bed, and gently placed his hand on Peters' ankle, squeezing gently.

Peter opened his eyes just a crack, to see Tony standing there, and although tears continued to roll down his face, his grip on Bucky's hand lessened just a little.

The poor kid was exhausted when Bruce finished. He was trembling as he tried to calm down, eyes drooping in exhaustion, but it still hurt so bad. He had another IV, strong pain medication flowing through his veins to try and help keep the pain at bay.

Bruce went to wash his hands, as Natasha gently swiped a wet cloth across Peters' chin, cleaning the blood and tears from his face.

He blinked tiredly up at her, as she smiled kindly. "You'll feel better soon, малыш. Try to sleep."

Peter was calmer, and he slowly uncurled his fingers from the ruined metal bar, his other hand still firmly clutching Bucky's hand.

He followed her advice, closing his eyes, as she wiped the last clean side of the cloth, over his cheeks and temples, ridding him of the tear tracks left there.

Tony was exhausted just watching all the excitement. He sighed. "Today's been one hell of a roller coaster."

Natasha nodded, tossing the ruined cloth into a wash basket. "You should follow Peters lead and get some rest."

Tony immediately shook his head, taking a seat on the couch at the end of the room, not too far from Peter. He was exhausted but he couldn't leave him. "I'll be fine."

Bucky pulled the bloodied blanket from Peters lap, as Steve came in with another, cleaner one. He tucked the soft fabric around the sleeping hero, as Bucky offered Tony a reprieve.

"You've been with him all day. Let us take him for a while."

Tony rubbed a hand over his face, considering. He didn't like to leave Peter for too long when he was hurt, but Peter was already asleep and likely would be for a while.

Natasha sat on the stool next to the bed that Bruce had previously been using, and Tony saw that Peter had taken her hand in his before he'd fallen asleep, and it was there still.

He was okay.

Tony sighed, standing. He felt completely wrung out, and could definitely use a break.

Cap caught sight of him, as placed a hand on the small of his back, leading him from the room. "Come on, Tony. You need to sleep."

He wasn't about to argue, but he did take another look down the hall to Peter's room, making sure one last time that the kid was okay without him.

He let out a breath, utterly done for the day. "I don't know how May does it."

Steve led Tony to his room, not bothering to turn the lights on as they walked through. "Does what? Raise a superhero? She didn't know she was for a while."

Tony shook his head as he slumped down onto his soft bed, never happier to be in it. "No, be a parent. It's scarier than going into battle, caring about someone that much."

Steve nodded, pulling the blankets and sheets back for his teammate. "Yeah, especially when that person goes into battle with you."

Tony scowled, as he lay down. "Don't remind me."

Steve smiled, laughing softly in the dark. "Sorry. It's worth it though, isn't it."

It wasn't a question, but even so, Tony agreed.

"He always is."

(Sorry if it seems OOC or stupid for Peter to be so cuddly and stuff with his blanket and the other Avengers, but he is fifteen (or sixteen idk) and I was 21 when I got mine taken out, and I was carrying my blanket and my bear around and watched Moana five times in two days. I was cuddly as fuck and just stayed in bed for about two weeks so, it's not really all that unrealistic. I was also very loudly sobbing in the dentist office while paying for it because in NZ we don't get knocked out we just get it numbed and then have to sit there and feel the teeth being pulled out. Its super shit and I had it done about three separate times. Anywho)


End file.
